4 Trends on My Summer To-(Hair)Do List

I've always struggled with my hair identity (a hairdentity crisis — is that a thing?). Over the past 10 years, my hair has taken on every pigment in the naturally occurring hair color wheel, from chestnut brown to a disastrous bleach blond that looked nothing like picture on the box I'd purchased for $5 from a drugstore. Though my hair has been color-corrected from the butchered beauty school experimentation that left my hair more "primary color" than 'Daenerys Targaryen platinum,' I've once again found myself in a hair slump: faded, shoulder-length, and perpetually tucked behind my ears.

Summer always feels like the perfect time to take a hair risk — perhaps because I've finally emerged from the other side of what felt like an eternal Winter, and it seems to call for celebration (or perhaps because Summer is peak Instagram opportunity season, and I want my locks looking like-worthy). I might not be totally ready to take the rainbow undercut plunge, but there are a few things on my Summer hair bucket list that I'm hoping to try.

When I was in 6, my dream was to get pink hair tips, but now that I'm 26, my new goal is rose gold blond strands. I've only ever stuck with au naturale shades, but rose gold is an edgy hue that still feels safe enough for a first time foray into rainbow hair. Not only does it look as delicious as a pink Disney cuvée cocktail, but I think it would work well with the fair Irish skin I keep slathered in SPF all Summer. I wouldn't dare try this one at home though — it sounds like an easy enough procedure, but definitely calls for a skilled hand.

If Coachella was any indication, space buns are sticking around for another Summer, and I want in on this '90s revival trend. Though I'd hope to channel a look that's less Minnie Mouse and more Millie Bobby Brown at the 2018 SAG Awards, it's been done in so many ways that range from chic to quirky that I feel confident there's a way I could make it work for my hair. I don't have any musical festivals on my radar (after I was nearly drowned at the great Gov Ball deluge of 2016, I swore never again), but I could see myself sporting double buns just as easily at the beach or the bar.

Taylor Swift is the queen of the blunt yet texturized shag, and her new choppy lob is sure to remain one of the coolest cuts of the Summer. This look would be the perfect way to break up my safe, single length 'do, as well as to give my pin-straight hair some dimension. I do wonder if I'm daring enough to get Taylor's trademark fringe, as getting bangs can be pretty terrifying, but maybe I'd be willing to try something wispier (which would probably work better for my oily-prone skin in the summertime anyway).

I never even opt to use a hair dryer in the Winter (and have walked into the office several times with a headful of frozen spikes), so you better believe I'm not blowing hot air in my face in the summertime. Though my hair dries straight, it tends to look pretty flat in its natural, styleless state. I hope to find a product that will give my hair some windswept surfer vibes this Summer with just a few spritzes, but will allow my hair routine to remain lazily low-maintenance.